Chapter 4: Chapter 4 demon suppressing department

However, once she had regained her composure, she did indeed begin to discern some patterns.

Through her serpentine vertical pupils, Yin Luan noticed a wisp of black, smoke-like substance lingering above the heads of these individuals.

The black smoke was connected to their bodies, and the worse a person’s condition, the denser the black smoke entwined around them became.

Clearly, the other villagers were unable to perceive these phenomena.

The village chief’s guess was spot on; there were indeed malevolent entities attached to them.

But how were such intangible and formless evil beings to be purged? By sprinkling water, performing rituals, or perhaps a shamanic dance?

Just as these thoughts surfaced in her mind, a sudden warmth emanated from her chest.

Yin Luan reached into her collar, feeling around, and retrieved the warm jade pendant.

When she descended the mountain, she had brought both the jade pendant and the black box with her.

These two items might be connected to her identity, and perhaps they were divine artifacts or immortal treasures; if they were to go missing, she would probably be so heartbroken that she would slap herself twice in regret.

As she held the jade pendant in her hand, some specialized knowledge appeared in her mind out of thin air.

After a moment.

“I have a general understanding of the situation,” Yin Luan said to the village chief. “Provide me with an empty room and prepare a lavish feast.”

“Then, simply await the arrival of night.”

****

The village chief immediately dispatched people to carry out the tasks.

The small mountain village was not wealthy, but they could still afford a meal of chicken, duck, pork, and wild game.

Empty houses were also available.

In the past half-month, many people had died, so it was easy to free up a couple of rooms.

Yin Luan did not wander around carelessly; from the villagers’ reactions, it was still uncertain who was more terrifying: her or the malevolent entity within the village.

“Snake Immortal, may I enter?”

Outside the door, Xiao Cui inquired softly.

“Come in, there are a few things I wish to ask you as well.”

Aside from the village chief, the only person in the entire village who dared to speak with her was the young woman standing before her.

Yin Luan invited her to sit down, but the young woman dared not, instead standing respectfully at her side.

“Even you are so afraid of me; it seems demons truly are unwelcome,” Yin Luan remarked with a light chuckle, undeterred. “Could you tell me about the specific situation here? The village chief mentioned this seems to be the Great Zhou Kingdom, is that right?”

The villagers, having only ever ventured as far as nearby towns, had a remarkably limited understanding of the outside world.

Even the old village chief could only offer vague information, describing it as ‘a remote small village in the eastern part of the Great Zhou Kingdom’.

From the simple description, she seemed to be in a world resembling ancient times, with a feudal dynasty, average productivity levels, and an economy largely based on self-sufficiency.

However, this place also had its own unique characteristics.

There were demons, malevolent entities, and other strange, bizarre things.

“Those from the village who have been to the city say that about thirty years ago, a natural disaster struck the Great Zhou Kingdom.

The moon in the sky turned red, and countless vengeful spirits, wild ghosts, mountain spirits, monstrous creatures, and malevolent entities all emerged, harming the common people everywhere and causing widespread suffering.

This disaster was called the ‘Demonic Calamity,’ and it took the imperial court decades to finally suppress the chaos.”

“To prevent a similar situation from occurring, the imperial court established the ‘Demon Suppression Bureau’ to deal with the lingering demonic remnants and protect the peace of the populace.”

Demons were unwelcome in the Great Zhou Kingdom, like rats scurrying across the street, reviled by all.

Presumably, if they hadn’t truly reached an impasse, the villagers would not have considered ‘inviting a snake into their nest’.

“Could you elaborate on the Demon Suppression Bureau?”

As a small snake demon, Yin Luan felt it was crucial to learn more about this organization, which, judging by its name, seemed to be directly at odds with her kind.

“I’m not entirely sure either,” Xiao Cui pondered seriously. “Most people have only heard their name.

The Demon Suppression Bureau reports directly to His Imperial Majesty, and even local officials treat them with utmost respect.

They are typically seven feet tall, large and robust, carrying a demon-slaying saber, with eyes as big as brass bells, enough to make children wet their pants if they saw them…”

“That’s quite a vivid description…”

Yin Luan had already conjured an image of a colossal brute whose arms were thicker than her own waist.

“I’ve heard that the adults of the Demon Suppression Bureau are never older than thirty-five nor younger than twenty,” Xiao Cui added. “If they are too young, their Yang energy cannot suppress malevolent entities, and if they are too old, the accumulated malevolent energy within them will backfire.”

“Many of these individuals are said to be selected from executioners, as the vital energy and malevolent aura they possess are the most effective means of dealing with evil creatures… However, many of them have eccentricities and do not appear entirely normal.

It’s best to avoid them if you encounter one.”

Prolonged exposure to malevolent entities, even for those with robust vital energy, will inevitably cause some degree of influence.

Bloodlust, irritability, and confusion are common symptoms.

“Terrifying…”

The snake demon remarked.

As Xiao Cui continued to impart knowledge to the Snake Immortal, the prepared dishes were brought in, one by one.

The enticing aroma of meat and vegetables, like an insistent craving, gnawed at the appetites of those present.

In recent days, due to the bizarre occurrences, the villagers had been living in a state of terror, afraid even to eat much, fearing they might be cursed and literally burst from overeating.

Now, with a grand feast laid before them, their stomachs churned involuntarily, and their mouths watered.

The food smelled delicious, but no one dared to secretly partake.

This was an offering to the Snake Immortal; to touch it would be to invite death.

The table was laden with delicious dishes, and even Xiao Cui couldn’t help but swallow twice.

Even during festivals, they rarely ate so lavishly.

The sheer quantity of these dishes probably weighed more than the Snake Immortal herself, didn’t it?

Could she possibly finish it all in one sitting?

Well, then again, an ordinary person couldn’t eat a hundred eggs in one sitting either…

“Do you wish to stay in the room?” Yin Luan asked with a smile. “Our guest will be arriving shortly.”

“A guest?”

The Snake Immortal had ordered food to be prepared, but it wasn’t for her own consumption after all?

“Go tell the villagers to return to their rooms as soon as darkness falls, to close their doors and windows, extinguish all lights, and ideally, make no sound.

Once that is done, if you wish to come and observe, then do so.”

The young village girl acknowledged with a soft assent, went out to speak a few words with the village chief, and then turned to re-enter the room.

As night descended, the village, devoid of lamplight, plunged into profound darkness.

Sparse chirping of insects, the howling of the evening wind as it swept past walls, and the drip-drip of accumulated water falling from eaves.

The atmosphere grew increasingly eerie and desolate.

Only the room where the Snake Immortal resided still had an oil lamp lit.

The oil lamp was dim, only illuminating the table of food before them, making the dishes glisten with an oily sheen.

When would the guest arrive?

Despite the tightly shut doors and windows, Xiao Cui still felt a chilling coldness.

Whoosh—

A gust of wind, from an unknown source, made the lamplight flicker precariously, causing the scene before them to alternate between light and shadow.

Suddenly.

Across from the Snake Immortal, a figure materialized!

It snatched up the food from the table, not putting it into its mouth, but directly stuffing it into its stomach!

In and out…

Half-rotted intestines dangled from its hand!

It split its mouth open and cried out in a hoarse voice, as if a dying person exerting their last breath.

“So hungry, I’m starving to death…”